Engine starter



Nov. 3, 1931. w. L. MCGRATH 1,830,204

v ENGINE STARTER Filed Jan. 3,"1921' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 41H u ABCD :mam @h Noir. 3, 1931. w. L. MCGRATH 1,830,204

` ENGINE STARTER Filed Jan.v 5, 199.1 5.Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 3,1931? UNITED. mfr-enr l VOFFICE- y 4vinnrnivr nivrcenn'rmor' nnmlnn; ironx, Assia-tirn rro nomrsn MACHINE coivrf PANY, or E LMinA, nnwvon'mn conrjonn'rion or NEW Yom:

ENGINE "sfinnrnn' a '11 v l My invention relates starterffor an enand ecient 'drive or .transmission forKV such engine starter." This drive is of ,the type op-` jcuit of the starting motor. 1 of advantage and utilityin my construction I description herein-l ,studs or boltsland 14. The latter. studl after given; n ,y y y ln the drawings Fig. ylis a sectionalk ele--Y "vation offa starter lapparatus embodying my4 erated manuallyT orengagementjwth the/engine membersucli asthe flywheel and oper-` ated automatically for. .disengagement therek from, the/manual operating connections `for ="'su'ch drive being capablek of actuating the.

electrical contact or switch -inthe lcircuityfor the electrical starting motor. f The. construction and arrangement ofmy drivezaresuch that it isl impossible to'make such electrical Vcontact until after the engagement ofthe f l driving member of the drive with the engine jj f member thereby preventinglthep'ossibility 4of` j injury ,to any ofthe parts incase of accidental operation of the operating connections ,"whenthe engine is running. *Moreover.this` construction and arrangement are such that Yin the event of abutting of the drivingmember of the `drive against theV engine member, such driving member is automatically slight- 'ly turned so as to. result? iniproper engagel ment with the engine member,V this result bek.

ing accomplished by a continued movement of thel operating connectionsandbefore any1 ypossibilityof the closing ,ofthe electrical cir- Otherffeatures willbe apparent from the invention and illustrating thedriv'e proper l1n elevation, the section beingtaken onl the .line l`l of F ig. 3 gFig. VVVQaview similar to Fig. 'A

l but showing the drive in section; Fig; 3 an `endview of the starter apparatus ;'Figs,fl and y,

5 section'staken on .the same sectionV line of Fig. 'l'but lookingin opposite directions-asL 'indicated lby the arrows corresponding? lto'. said igures;Fig. 6 any elevation of the inter-,K mediate sleeve andFig. 7 a diagram illustrat: ing different positions ofthe intermediateV sleeve.

Referring tion `asfherein shown,the same is of the'sin-V gle 'reduction' type, that i'sjthe drive is opji to the embodimentof my inven.

' A against, respectively, thefnut -9 and thek col 'lar r`17 Al'oosely mounted onY such portionl of 'y erateddirectlyby the starter motor and not.

- pinionvmoves outwardly when meshing'with theengine member or iiywheel. However, ity will be understood that my invention is equal-4 ly applicable to the double reduction type and also'totheinboard type offdrive.

kAs shown, the electrlcal startmg 'motor ll *is providedat one end with a casing 2 securedthereto in suitable manner as by means rof the bolts 3, such casing being cut away towards its outer end so Vas to admit the engine `member or gear, ring 4 of the flywheel, The motorf is provided with an extended armature shaftY l5v whichhas a bearing 6 in the outer endl ofthe casing. The drive or transmissionfis' contained within this casing and .y is mounted upon anddriven by this armatureshaft which thus constitutes the driv- .ingshafty y The drive, which is a variety of the screw shaft type, comprises a hollow screw` shaft or sleeve and having screw threads 7 f intermediate itsy length, a rsmooth portion 8,-a stop nut 9 at its outer end and a driven head 10 at its inner end. This head is drivingly connected with a driving headll by means of a yieldingv driving connection such as a coiled driving springflZf whose opposite ends are anchored to the heads 10-.11 by means of the The drivingfmember consists ofa pinion l'having a smoothcentral borel and adapted to'travel longitudinally along the screw' threaded portion fand also the vsmooth portion of thefscrew shaft?,v and also to rotate with such shaft after it hasV been clamped thereto in the manner hereinafter explained.

'ThisV pinion lpreferably held in its normal orlhomeposition shown inFigs. 1 and@ by 'amyieldinglineans which here consists of a coiled spring ".16 yencircling the smooth `or plain portionof the screwY shaft and bear-ing i il y the shaft. This collar is of the peculiar shape land with the smaller diameter adapted to pinion.`

enter 'the forwardend ofthe bore Yof the This pinionis providedl at its inner end c with aring or flange 1`8which is here smooth von its inner-face except for an annular ring Y .of teeth I9 at themargii thereof,

The actuatingmember here consists'of a -gfing withthe parts in their normal position asy shown in Fig. 2, when the operating connecnut`20 threaded on the screw threadlZ-and adapted to automatically travel longitudinal-V ly along the screw shaft V`when nthelatter isi rotated and to rotate .with such shaft after ithas clamped the pinion thereto; by its screw action, and also to fautomatically travelgl'ongitudinally in the opposite direction when the pinion'is automatically disengaged fromV the" flywheel. This nut' is provided with a flange 2l ofvlesser diameter vthan" the flange 1 8 'and with itsrmargin within the line of teeth 19.v

'Within the casing 2 and encircling a po-rtion Yof the drive thereY is mounted for longi- Ycf-"tudinal and rotary movement a vshifting member or sleeve 22 which is contracted or truncated',con1cal '1n form, at its Vouter end and provided' atits outer edge with a series nof teeth 23 adapted to engage the teeth v19 of the flange Vin itsshiftingmovement. 1This,

sleevepis providedv at .its inner.' end with'a .ring 24 secured thereto in suitable manner Qlyinfunison with the sleeve 26'y andy also ist capable of partial rotary or annular movej as by means of the radial` pins^25v which are qscrew-threaded into both [the sleeve and the; Y I

' f H f sleevesywill be restoredV to normal-position` by ring.

A secondn or intermediate sleeve 26 'is op!" itso'wn power the pinion and the nut 20 will eratively connected with the sleeve 22 in such'- manner that the latter is shifted' longitudinalment with relation thereto. To this end the sleeve extends into the central bore ofthe ring 24v and the'pins 25 which project into :said bore extend into and cooperate with inclined slots 27 formed `in opposite sides of the sleeve 26. Suitable yielding means, such as the/coiledjspringQS, servesto hold these two sleeves in their normal position shownzin -V-Figs-.lylwfrand'2.V j j i The, sleeve 26 may bel operated manually` ory pedally but for convenience I will use't-hehz word manually as aV generic term' for both` operations.AAV As shown, the casing 2 is proa `vided with two parallel vertical. brackets 29 i in which is arranged arshaft 30, onwhichv there ismounted av shifter in the formfo-ffan bell-crank consisting of the two vdepending..

parallel 'armsl andthe upwardly extendi V.ing operating arm 32 which obviously may be operated directly bythe vhand or foot.' of" the .operator or connected. with'anyr'linkage or the like.v The depending arms `SI-areg'opferatively connected-.with vthelsleevez 26 by unieans4- of thepins Bfin` such sleeve' and the slots 34 at the ends offsuch arms;

The operating connection is adapted to actuate the electricalV contact Vof the starting motor when such connection is ina pre-determovement of the adjustable screw 37 so that.y when the'bell crank is rocked in an anti-cloclzf wise direction the switch willbe operated.

fDescribing a cycle of operation'and startt'ion 321isy movedor rocked tothe left the first action will be the shifting ofthe sleeves 26 and 22 longitudinally to the right, whereupon, 'Kafteria shorttravel, the teeth 23 will engage the teeth 19 so that continued longitudinalmo'vementof the vsleeve 22 will bodily shiftv the pinionl to the Vright and into mesh with thefflywheel teeth.` Just prior to thetime when the'pinionjis in full mesh with the' flywheel, the switch will be operated and the motor will be rotated with the result that the screw' shaft Will 'be rotated and the nut 2O willA be vadvanced longitudinally until it comesinto 'contact with the' pinion whereuponf'itwillshift the pinion against the stop nut1j9 V'and the screw'action of such nut will clamp thepinion to the screw shaft and cause such-pinion to `rotate with the shaft 'and consequently rotatev the flywheel. When the pressure againstl the operating connection 32 is relievedthe same, together with the two thef'springs 38. When the engine starts` on onaccount ofthe friction between the shifting sleeve andthe flange ofthe pinion, par-y ticularly as increas-e'dby the presence of the teeth 1,9a'nd 23,1the slight'rotation of the shifting sleeve will be imparted to the pinion so as to cause registry of the pinion teeth and the flywheel teeth,pwher eupon the spring 28 willcausethe pinion to move longitudinally intomesh with the flywheel. Thereupon the furthermovement of the operating connection32 will, yas before, cause electrical contact and the rotation of the starting motor and the cranking of the engine. The possible longitudinal relative movement of the two sleeves visgliinited by the length of the spiral sl'ts 27,"sov that under no'circumstances, as

lll

' functioning of thepinsf25 in the slots 27, and

f Lesoto-f1 for viii,'Se'1ic'e-,"ifthe engine isv amtingtwiii a be" possible to makek electrical contact unless and until actual `meshoit,h=J jlgnio'nhwrst eccurred.-

Referringr'to the diagrammatic showingl in'- Ff'ig''of lthe' sequenceof operations above l referred to, the bottom line j-repres'ents''the"y total ilength oftravel f of -thef{ interiiiediate.A sleeveand the different positions markedby the arrovvs on the top line indicate thefdifl'erent positions of such sleeve at the time of the different actions or positions offtheshifting` sleeve" andf "pii'ii'onY The inter-mediate sleevej 26 inits movement from theendof thelineito thearroWA shifts the sleeve 221 the distance] toi point C, Which `is controlled in 'lengtliby A the.A length of the spiral'slots, is taken yup in the slight rotation ofthe pinion,y andv it is not until somey point subsequent vto the last men-v ti'onedr one and which is before theend of the totall travel, such-asthe point D, that the electrical contact is made.V During this shifting ni'ovementof the pinion, the nut'20Y stands still,1V but the "moment ythe finoto'r rotates it moves longitudinallyto :the` right i and into contact with the pinion,=infthemanner here- `inbefore explained; f During thislongitudi-V rnal movement of the nut',y Vthe motor isvnot under ,load and is therefore ,fpermittedltol properly'andfsufliciently accelerate.l j i Y f It'vvill Vbe understood that inv case of'failui'e to properly adjust the apparatus,` that is more particularly to adjust the: screw Y37, if electri- Vcal contact is made too early, the drive operatesyentirely as. a manualv shift, l"unless ,elec-v trical Contact shouldactu'ally be made before i vthe pinion hasbeen shifted as 'far asv theliy- Wheehin 'vvhich latter event automaticvk mesh will be accomplished.l A

l f claim Y L 'An engine staijtergdrive including in s combination with a starting motor and Withy a member of the engine to be' started,=a driv-i 'ingmember adapted to be shifted-.intoopera-l tive'enga-gement with tliegengiiiev member and to bedriven by the motor, and 'an operating s device for controlling -theshifting of's'aid driving member, said-,device including two vtelescopi-ng.sleeves mounted vfor normal longitudinal movement together and having spiral slot and pin connection Witheachfother a for v,angular ymovement gone Withrespectto :the othervvhen the longitudinal movement' of the former is obstructed,such former sleeve being adapted toVK shift the'V driving jmember longitudinally andfto impart its angular 5 .movement theretoanda casing enclosingthe drive and-having acylindrical bearingin its interior, such bearing'receiving such former' sleeves" a .y f f, 7 Y 2l 'Ani-.engine starter drive including lin combination- With va starting motor-and with .Q

a` memberof the `.engineto be started, a drivfing memberadapted to beshifted into operative engagement with the engine member and to be driven by the motor, and an operatingdevices-for controlling'the shifting of saididriving member, said device including vtvvo telescopingsleeves mounted for normal longitudinall movement together and having spiral slot and pin connection Witheach' other for angular movement one With respect to the other When thelongitudinal movement of the rformer is obstructed, such former ysleeve being adapted-to shift ythe driving member longiftudinallya'nd to, impart its angular movement thereto, said'former sleeveand thedriving memberh'aving complementary engaging surfaces to assure said imparting of angular movement to the driving member.

3. An. engine starter drive including kin combination Withy a starting motor and With f i a member ofthe engine to be started, a Adrivingv member adapted-to be' shifted intooperative` engagement with the engine member y and to be driven by the motor, andan operating device for controlling` the shifting lof said driving member,y said device including ltwo longitudinal sleeves i .having spiral ,slot v,and pin connection with each otherrfory lonp gitudinal movement together and for angularfmovement one with respect to the other Wlienfthe longitudinal movement of the formeris obstructed, such former sleeve being adapted to shift thedriving member longitudinally and to impart its angular movement thereto, said 'driving member havingy a ringflange and said former sleeve having a contracted end adapted to engage such iiange.

4.' An, Yengine starter drive including in combination with astarting motor andwith member of the engine to be started, a driving member adapted tobe shifted intoV operative engagement with the engine member and yto be driven by the motor,and an operating f device `for controlling the shifting of said `driving member, said device including tWo vlongitudinal sleeves having spiral slot and pin connection With each other for longitudinal movement together and for angular movement one with respect to the other when ythelongitudinal. movementof the former is obstructed', suchy former sleeve being adapted to shift the driving member longitudinally andto impart its angular movement thereto, said driving memberhaving a ring flange provided With teeth, and said former sleeve having ajcontracted end terminatingin teeth to engagethe teeth of the flange;

n' 5., An v`engine starter drive including, vin

combination vvithay starting motor and with a member ofethe. engine to be.' started, a ro,

- to meshY with the engine member, ani actua"- means for shifting the pinion into kmesh withA f combinationy with a `starting motor and with ingfmember threaded on the shaft and adapted to advance longitudinally thereon to clamp the pinion thereto forrotary movement, and

the engine member.

a member ofthe engine to be started,-a ro# tatable'V screw shaft, a pinion `mounted yfor free longitudinal movement Vthereon 'and adapted to mesh with the engine member, an

actuating member threadedl on the shaft and adapted toadvance longitudinally thereonto clamp the pinion thereto. for rotary movement, and combined means for shiftingthe pinion into mesh withk the engine lmember Vand for imparting vto said pinion'a rotary,

mesh-insuring Ymovement in the event said pinion abuts said engine member.

7'. engi 'efstarter' drive including, iii

a member of thefengine to be started, a rotatable screw shaft, a pinion mounted for free longitudinalA movement thereon Y and adapted to mesh with the engine member, an

' actuating member threaded on the shaft and adapted tc advance longitudinally thereon to Vclamp the pinion thereto for rotary vlmove- Y ment, and means forshifting the pinion inteV mesh with the engine'inember, andincluding vtwo operating members,'one` rotatably displaceable relative to theffother and adapted and arranged to Vrotatably move the pinion, and connections between said meinbersfor yrelatively displacing the saidv pinionmow ing member if said pinion abuts the engine member. y I

8; An engine starter drive including a screw' threaded; shaft, a drivingV member loosely mounted thereon, av controilmember threaded on the shaft and actuating such drivin@ member, said members having cooperating vflanges, the` one kon the driving member being of the greater diameter, a longitudinally movable sleeve encircling said shaft'and control member and, when moved longitudinally, adapted to engage and move the driving member lonigtudinally to engage,V

a member'of the engine to be started, and a' Isecond sleeve operatively connected to one l end of the iirst'sleeve by. spiraljslot and .pin connection;

9. An'engine starter drive including a Vroitatable driving shaft, a screw threadedihcl'-,

low shaft mountedfon the driving shaft, a yielding driving connection between the two shafts,v a "pinion" loosely mounted.. Von the screwk shaft,` afnut threaded onthescrew YshaftV and adapted toactuate the'piiiion, a

driving shaft and encompassing the .nut and yielding driving connection, such sleeve co'- 6. An enginestarter drive including,.inr combination with a starting motor and with l Leaded/i Y "end ofthe first sleeve; 7 v

l0. An engine starterV drive including arotatable drivingshaft, a sleeve encircling such shaft, a screw threaded hollow shaft mounted on the driving shaft and extending partially into such sleeve, a pinion loosely mounted lcnlthe screw shaftand in advance of the sleeve, ainut threaded on thescrew shaft and Aiiernially positionedat the/,front end of the sleeve, said/nut being adapted to cooperate with and actuate the pinion, a drive'head secured to the drivingshaft, a drivespring between such Vhead and thescrew shaft, said sleeve encompassing the head and spring, and a second 'sleeve operatively connected with therear end of the first sleeve by aI spiral slot and pinconnection. L 11. An engine starter 'drive including a rotatable shaft,V fja driving rmember loosely mounted thereony for longitudinal movement into engagement witha member' ofthe engine tc` be started, means foryieldingly holding such driving member in a normal position of disengagement, manually opera-ted means for shifting such driving member into engagement with the engine member, and a control member mountedl for longitudinal movement to clamp the driving member into driving relation with thel shaft when kithe latter` is started. f Y v i12. An engine starter drive including a rotatable shaft, a driving member loosely mounted thereon for longitudinal movement into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, means for yieldingly holding suchdriving-member in a normal position of disengagement, manually'y operated means for shiftingl such driving Vmember into engagement with the engine member, and automati- .cally operatingmeans for establishing driving relation between the driving member and central motor driven shaft, a`hollow screw shaft 1mounted. thereon, alvpinion loosely meiinted.on the screw shaft and adapted to Ybe shifted*longitudinally into engagement 'with a memberrgof the engine to be started but normally disengaged 'l therefrom, manually operated means forso'shifting the pinion longitudinally, ayiel'dalble driving connection between the shaft aiidsleeve, a nut threaded on the sleeve and movable y longitudinally therealcng to establish driving relation between the sleeve'and pinion when such sleeve l 'Y 'fis'rotated, kand means Vfor withdrawing the longitudinally movable sleeve encircling the pinionl from engagementwhen the engine operates under-its own power."

combination with' astartingmotor, `member adapted to bef shifted intolgoperativef engagement Witha Ymember, ofy theengine toV be startedandtobe driven bythemotongand combined means for shiftingffthe"driving member longitudinally.- and forrotating .the same',- including ashiftera member 'movably lconnected to said shifter and adapted lfor longitudinal :move-mentrtherewith .into enkgagement with said, drivingmember, and lIneanslnormally maintaining-the member connectedto 'the shifteriin a predetermined. po-

sition-=relative to said shifterjsaictmember connected' to' the shifter being adaptedjfor angular movement, relative: to said shifter 'Whenfin engagement. with said driving memtive'engagement Witha member of the engine ber. t

g; ,15: An rengine starter"drive including,-in combinationsvvith the starting motor, a4 drivingmemberadaptedtofbe shifted into operai-v tobestartedi and tobe driven by themotor,

and means, outside the :line of Vtransmission offtorquegffor shifting the driving member,

said ,means including la shifter, a"'toothed member operatively connected to said shiftery "and adapted' for movementvr relative thereto, said lastV named member being'moved by said shifter into abutting lein?,agement With the drivingmember, andl yieldingimeans for nor- AI nally', vir'iaintainingsaid toothed memberin a p'redetermined position "relativer toi y'said shifter. .f f

1 6, nu'. engine staffel-*anw amending, in 'combination with a -starting-motorfhaving an 1 farmatureshaft, aydriving "memberpmounted i for. .'rotary" 'and longitudinal' movement on Vsaid shaftahd adapted to be shiftedinto op'-,`

- erativeeng-agementlWith afmember of* the' ,40

engine tobe starte'd'-andtoi bedriven by they Vmotor, and yielding 'Imeans for knormally maintainingy Asaid drivin','gmember out of enga,gementl with said engine member. and comfmoni means ffor longitudinally shifting said driving metnber`v vinto engagement With fthe f enginemember and forrotating saidldriving i member in theevent fof abutting of the 'same With the engine member, said ycommon,means including a manually foperable lever, a: memberoperatively connected to vsaid leverfa'nd adapted for pinion rotating movement rolative thereto, said vlast named .member being moy'able"@into al'iuttin,f j-ie'ngagementV with the non-'engaging end ofthe drivingfmember, and

5 5 yielding 'v .means for 'l normally maintaining said-movably mounted memberin a predeterinined -po'sition Akrelative; to s'aid'vf3'le-verj, Asaid,y j drivingjmember beingkmovable outof engage:` i60 Aml entwith theenginelmember independently of; 'said shifting meansi f 172 `Anengine 'starter j combinationwith a starting motor, ai pinion g Q ;foperatively "connected, with 5 the lmotori and Vadapted-to be shiftediinto engagement vvithfa4 t,

, 'i5 .member` of the yengineftobefstarted,landgan saiddriving member in the event thelatter drive including, viny operating'V Vdevice for, shifting said; pinion `lon l'tudinally intomeshjwiththe"engine f member, said deviceincludinga lever and an angularly: movable, 'toothed -member ,outside of'the line ofitran'smission of torque and operativelyconnectedto ksaid lever, adapted to be 4moved into abutting engagement With/the pinion.v Y: u f 18.An` engine starter drive including, in combination With a starting motor, a spirally threaded motor-driven shaft, a driving mem- Vvvi-thsaid drivingmember andthe latter being movable out of engagement With the engine 'member independently of said shifting means.) A, Q y 1 19. {An engine starterdrive including, 'in combination with a starting motor, a pinion Vadapted to be shifted into meshivvith av memj berfof the enginefto be startedbutnormally disengaged therefrom, saidpinion beingprovided with irregularities-'on the', non-engagi,

ingnend,k thereof, and common"'means forv shiftingand rotating said pinioninto oper- `ating engagementvvith said'engine member, :including a pivotally mounted' 'lever vand n member operatively land 'movablyfconnected kto said lever and vadapted to bef'moved into engagement with Vthe irregularities on said pinion..V y

20. An engine starter drive including arotatableshaft, a driving member mounted for longitudinal movement thereon into engagement With a member-vof the engine tobe start- Ved and' havingonits non-engaging, end. a .series of 1rregular1t1 e s,f.means for rotating said .drivinggmember with said shaft vvvhen engaged, andi manually voperable means adapted to cooperate with said non -engaging end of the driving member, including a shift- Aver and means Iinterposed between the shifter 'and drivingmemb'er for shifting Said driving member axially into mesh with saidengine member Aand in such movement rotating abuts saidpinion member. i

-21.AnV engine starter drive including a frotatable shaft, a driving member mounted kfor longitudinal movement thereon" into engagement with a member of the engine to ,be

started?A andhaving onrv its non-engaging end a serles'fof irregularities, means for rotating said driving member -With e said v.shaft AWhenk engaged, {andmanually operable means @ida-pied-toi Y1engiigem'en't with the engine member yand by sln'ft such driving member, into j t fus thesa'me ldirection:ofvmovement to rotate the drivingmemb'er in the event of its abutting Y l*the engine `member, saidzmanually operable ably connected with saidshifter and r'adapted to engage said irregularities of said drivingl member, said 'last named member and r-drivthe l engine member. ,A

ing member being relatively -rotatable When member. l

22. An en ginestarter drive including a rotatable shaft, adriving member mounted for llongitudinal movement thereon into engagement with a memberof the engineto be startedandhavingon its non-.engaging end a ring ofV teeth, means for rotating vsaid driving vmembervvith saidv shaft When'engaged, and `manually,(-)perable means adapted to shift `'such driving member into engagement with the engine member andbythe same direction means including a'shifter and a member move v y A suchdriving vmember is driving the engine- Y f f Y of movement to rotate the drivingv'ineinbvr inv the event ,of its abutting the engine member,

*said manually" opera-ble means includin a Y shifter and ka member movablyconn'ccted w ith n said shifter and adapted to engage said teeth.

of sai-d driving member,said last named inember and drivingl member being relatively roy tatable Whensuch driving memberis driving VM23;v lAn enginestarter drive including aro- Vtaitable shaft, a driving member mounted for Y `longit'udinal imovement thereon finto engage- 'ment Withfa-in'ember ofthe enginefto be started, said driving lmemberbeingfin the lform ofafpinion having a ring of teeth on its non-engagingend, lmeans .for rotating said manually 'operable means vforshifting said '.driving'member longitudinally and-for rotatingfthe lsaine into, mesh with the lengine member',fincluding va pivotally mounted shi fter and a toothed memberoperatively connect- 'ed'to said shifter andada-pted to engage said teethon the non-engagingend of said pinion.V

24An-'engine starter'drive including a rotatable shaft, a driving member mounted for longitudinal movementl thereon intoV engagement with 'av member of the" engineto be started," said driving member being in the form of a pinion having va ringof teeth on its nOn-engagingend, means forl rotating said "pinion With saidshaft when engaged, and

, l'manually'operable means including a lmem- 5 berlongitudinally movable tocontact and cooperate with saidteeth to shift the pinion into Y engagement With the engine member; and

60' r:theengine member,

able' Vmember ,being `means, toimpartan.angularmovement to said Vvlongitudinally movable member tofrotatethe pinion slightly in theeventthe'latterabuts said lomqit'udinall-yV nov-v normally out of 'engage' ment with the pinion.

f l 25, An'enginestarter drive comprising, in

v "combination, ua l rotatable Y l membermovable laxiallyV into driving'irela-k pinion With said shaft-lvvhen engaged, 'and drive-co'nn'efctingV 'tion Witha rotatable partfofthe enginetobe Y started; automaticmeans vfor disconnecting vthe i drive-.conne(ating-member (fromY the en-V gine part'when theengine starts;`and. a manually operable device for moving' the driveconnecting-member into driving engagement With y.the engine part, said device including Vtvvo constantly connected members, one. .of Which is rotatable coaXiallyof the drive-connecting-member, meansV for connecting the,

drive-connecting-meinber With 'the rotatable. manually; operable member, and means for connecting the manually operableincmbers for Vendvvise movement. together, orso that endvvise movement of one member relative to 5 the other will effectrotation of the rotatable,

manually operable member.

26. An engine starter drive comprising, in

' memberrotatable coaXially ofthe drive-connecting-member and movableaxially into engagement Withthe drive-connecting member, means Vfor rotativelyV connecting said inembers', a manually operable part movable along the rotatable, manually operable member and constantly connected therewith, and means for connecting fthe Vmarnially operable part and so that, in cas'eaxial *movementr of the rotatable manually operableinember'is arrested, furthermovemeiitof the manually operable part will effectrotation ofthe manually operable member,v

27. Engine-startingapparatiis' comprising, incombination, a motor; a shaft operated by the inotorg'means for connecting theshaft with the gear ofan engine to be started and including a pinion mounted onthe shaft for Y longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith and provisions wherebyT fthe pinion Will'be automatically demeshed fromthe enginegear when the-engineA starts;

Vand manually operable means for kshifting thepinion endvvise into mesh vvith'the engine gear and V'forI rotating the pinionv in case the pinion teeth collide with theenginegear teeth,V said means ,including two members movable along the shaft, onel of said members being rotatable, and one of lsaid membershav- ,ing afpil't located oblique to the d irecti'onof bodily motion of. said members and 'engaged by the other member'whereby therotatable1 -iiianuaillyfoperable memberfmay be rotated bvthe othermembcrWhen movedV along the '.slfiaft,'and` means for connectingY therotatable Y' memberwith thejpinion. A

28. :Enginestarting apparatus comprising,

,e c :il Vand membersothat theyfmaymovetogether in combination, amotor; a shat operated'byA themotor; means for connecting the shaft'V Y with the vgear of an 'enginel to bestarted and f including Aapinion mountedfon the shaft for l longitudinal movement' thereof" and rotary movement therewith andprovisions whereby the pinion Will be automatically demesheda from the engine gear When the engine starts; a device for shifting the pinion endvvise into mesh With the engine gear andk for rotat- Y ing the pinion in case the pinion teeth collide Y with the engine gea'rteeth, said device in` Y k@hiding tvvormembers movable longitudinally of the snai/@said members havingjan oblique 4Slot andrpin connection With"V each other for y movement together longitudinallyof the shaftand for angular movement one relative n to theother When longitudinal movement of o. *one of the members is obstructed, said mem-l ber' being1 adapted to shiftthe pinionfl'ongi# tudinally and to rotate ythe pinionyand manually operable means for actuating said device. 295 I Engine starting apparatus comprising, in "combination, a motor; a motor switch; a` 'shaft having spiral splines v driven-by the motor; a pinion normallyconnectedl With the splined portion of the shaft forlongitudinal movement into mesh Withan engine gear and forrotary movement Withthe shaft; a man-l y nally operable V,Inemberior 'closing the motoriv svvitch and 'means for 'transmitting ymotion Yfrom'th'e manuallyoperablefmember'to the# y pinion to mesh thev pinion y"With gear, said.-

' meanspreventing closing fthe, motor switch .until after the pinion partly meshes With'th'e geanand'said means including a pin element' *and yan element having alslot oblique to the shaft vand engaged byvthepin, said 'elementsvr beingmovable together along the shaft, and

Von'e oiithem eng'ageable Withthe pinion and having provisions adapted vto impartiotation .to the pinion "in 'case the pinion teeth collide with thefengine geary teeth. K 1 VVILLAMy L. MGGRATH. 

